


Message Sent

by carpesoo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 11:18:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8842669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carpesoo/pseuds/carpesoo
Summary: Roses are red,Violets are blue,Sehun likes Jongin,But Jongin likes Kyungsoo?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Massive thank you to my beta, M, and to everyone who supported me throughout the duration of this fic writing period (I know how insufferable I was) and to my dear recipient, I hope you enjoy reading this!

Jongin stares blankly at his phone. He blinks—once, twice—making sure his eyes aren’t playing tricks on him or that he’s somehow read the text incorrectly the past ten times. He doesn’t think there are four greater words in the English language.

_I like you, too._

Jongin actually shrieks out loud, earning a “shut up!” from his sister in the adjacent room. Not allowing anyone to rain on his parade—Jongin’s been waiting far too long for this moment—he jumps around the room, phone clutched in one hand as he fist pumps the air.

He had finally summoned enough courage to confess his feelings to his crush, Do Kyungsoo. It had been agony as he stared at his phone, waiting for Kyungsoo to reply. The lack of response had been unsettling, and Jongin wondered if it had been Kyungsoo’s way of letting him down gently. He didn’t know what would be worse, a flat out rejection or being ignored completely. When his phone—located a mere three feet away—had finally pinged, Jongin scrambled to grab the device and had somehow managed to trip over his own two feet. Twice.

_I like you, too._

Never in a million years did Jongin ever think that Kyungsoo would reciprocate his feelings. Sure, Kyungsoo had always been polite and greeted him whenever they passed each other in the hallway. They’ve even hung out on occasion, though never just the two of them on their own. Perhaps it’ll all change now that they’ve established their mutual attraction.

_I like you, too._

Jongin hugs the phone to his chest, seriously contemplating whether he should print out the screenshot and have it framed. It takes him a good five minutes and endless re-reading of the message before finally noticing the name above the text.

 _Sehun_.

Shit a fucking brick.

 

~ ❤ * ✉ * ❤ ~

 

“You’re staring at him again.”

Jongin glares at his best friend, Chanyeol, who hands him a red plastic cup filled to the brim with a bright, almost neon pink liquid. Jongin raises the drink to his nose and almost gags at the stench of alcohol—it smells like it could eat through anything—plastic, metal, Chanyeol’s thick-ass finger callouses that he claims are from the guitar but Jongin suspects otherwise. “What’s in this?”

Chanyeol shrugs. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, it should make you forget all about Kyungsoo. You gotta get over him, dude.”

“I don’t want to get over him. I want to get _under_ him.” Jongin sighs as he watches his crush from a distance. He’s talking to the host of the party, Byun Baekhyun, who also happens to be Kyungsoo’s best friend. Jongin notices the way Kyungsoo brushes the loose strands of hair from Baekhyun’s face and the way Baekhyun leans into the touch. Jongin is aware that the two grew up together and are ridiculous close but it doesn’t quell the waves of jealousy that wash over him. Tearing his eyes away from his crush, Jongin chugs down the beverage in one shot, almost choking as the alcohol burns his throat.

It tasted even worse than it smelled. Did he just drink straight up alcohol? _Rubbing_ alcohol? Coughing and spluttering, Jongin wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. And as luck would have it, his eyes meet Kyungsoo’s who gives him a small wave from across the room along with a bright heart shaped smile. Jongin’s reaction speed is dramatically decreased on account of _All Dem Feels Though™_ , and ends up greeting the back of Kyungsoo’s head instead.

“That’s weak, bruh,” Chanyeol says, handing him another red plastic cup. “Maybe you should get under someone else instead. Someone who actually knows you exist—like that guy.” Chanyeol points to a tall broad-shouldered man by the drinks table. He’s alone and looking directly at Jongin and Jongin feels his heart sink to the pit of his stomach.

It’s Oh Sehun. The very same Oh Sehun that Jongin had accidentally confessed to the week before and has been avoiding like the plague ever since. It’s not been an easy feat seeing as they’re in the same classes together three times a week, but Jongin has either purposely slipped into the lecture hall ten minutes late or skipped it entirely.

How did he even have Sehun’s number in his contacts? Ah, he recalls exchanging digits the very first time they’d met in class with promises of “study sessions” that never happened. In fact, they’d not messaged each other once. Until _that_ text.

The last thing Jongin wants to do right now is to clarify the miscommunication. If he could, Jongin would very much like to ignore the entire incident and continue as though nothing happened. If only.

“Don’t look at him!” Jongin hisses to his friend while trying his best to pretend as though he hadn’t seen the other.

“It’s too late! He’s coming over. Abort mission!”

“Don’t you dare leave me, Park Chanyeol. I swear to God I will shave your—oh, hey, Sehun! I didn’t see you there.” Jongin forces a toothy smile and takes a sip from his cup, trying not to grimace as the liquid burns through another layer of his stomach lining. What the hell kinda concoction is this drink?

Sehun tilts his head and squints his eyes at Jongin ever so slightly. “You were looking directly at me. We made eye contact. And then you had a little freak out about how Chanyeol shouldn’t leave you, but he went ahead and abandoned you anyway.”

“You heard that?” Jongin asks, avoiding eye contact with the other. Instead, he scans the room, silently cursing the traitor that is his best friend. He spots Kyungsoo and his gaze homes in on the hand wrapped around his crush’s waist. Byun Baekhyun is one lucky guy.

“You weren’t exactly whispering,” Sehun points out, chuckling softly.

Jongin’s never heard the sound of Sehun’s laugh before. For some strange reason, he finds himself smiling, too. In fact, Jongin doesn’t know much about the man, Jongin’s never paid much attention to him, be it during class or around campus. He’s pretty cute, Jongin laments. Wait, what?

“Shit, I think I’m already drunk.” Jongin shakes his head and sets the cup of poison down. “Word of advice, stay away from the fruit punch or whatever the hell it’s supposed to be—it tastes awful!”

Sehun nods his head. “I’m not drinking—I’ve been shafted as the Designated Driver of the night.”

“Ah, that must suck.”

“I’m not much of a drinker, anyway. So, I’ve been wanting to talk to you…”

Oh, no. This is the moment Jongin has been dreading. Sehun’s going to bring _that_ up and Jongin’s not drunk enough for this discussion. His eyes dart around the room, trying to look for an escape route. One that would warrant a swift exit without hurting or offending Sehun’s feelings.

“...about that text—”

“—Hey, Jongin. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to say hello to you earlier. Well, not properly. I waved at you but maybe you didn’t see because you didn’t respond?” Kyungsoo cuts in before Sehun manages to finish his sentence.

Jongin breathes a sigh of relief before he almost trips over his own feet. Kyungsoo is talking to him. This is not a drill. “H-Hi.”

“Would you like a drink?” Kyungsoo offers Jongin and Sehun each one of the two cups he’s holding.

Sehun shakes his head with a “no thanks” and Kyungsoo offers the unnaturally bright beverage to Jongin. Jongin’s about to follow suit and decline when Kyungsoo reveals he had been the one in charge of the fruit punch bowl. “I’m a little worried I may have made it a little too strong.”

“Sure, I would love one! I was just saying how great it is!” Jongin says, accepting the drink and raises the cup to his lips. It might be his bias speaking, but it’s actually not that bad. Third time’s the charm, he supposes. Jongin pretends he doesn’t hear Sehun snorting beside him and he throws a thumbs up at Kyungsoo.

“Really? I kept seeing half empty cups everywhere so I wasn’t too sure. But thanks, Jongin!” Kyungsoo says with a radiant smile and Jongin can feel his own lips curving into a bright grin.

“So, Kyung—” Jongin starts when he’s cut off by someone else.

“—Soo!” Jongin hears Baekhyun’s voice from across the room, the owner emerging from the crowd a second or two later. Baekhyun leans into Kyungsoo’s ear and whispers something too quiet for Jongin to discern. He clenches his fist as he tries to calm the jealous storm flooding his body.

Kyungsoo nods his head a couple of times before diverting his attention back to Jongin and Sehun. “I gotta go. Hope you enjoy your night and maybe I’ll catch you guys later?” Kyungsoo and Baekhyun slip through the wave of people before Jongin has a chance to bid them goodbye.

“Wow. You weren’t subtle, like, at all,” Sehun says in a flat monotone voice.

Jongin’s not surprised at the lack of empathy, he did shamelessly flaunt his feelings in front of Sehun after all. Despite being fully aware that Sehun has feelings for him, too. The guilt of his actions are slowly starting to sink in. Even if Jongin doesn’t reciprocate the romantic feeling, Sehun definitely deserves better. Jongin owes Sehun an explanation—no more disappearing acts—he’s going to let Sehun down as gently as he can and perhaps they can both move on from it all with no hard feelings or bitter resentment.

“Yeah, about that text…” Jongin trails off, not quite sure how to continue. He opens his mouth to speak but the words die in his throat.

“It’s fine,” Sehun finally says after Jongin has made it abundantly clear he is at a loss for words. “I take it you sent the text to me by mistake?”

Jongin deliberates as to whether or not he should apologize for his royal cock up. In the end, he decides against it and offers a nod of his head in response. He knows it’s lame and cowardly of him but he’s finding it difficult to actually verbalize his thoughts.

“So have you told him?” Sehun asks.

Jongin shakes his head no. Again with the not speaking out loud. Why is it so hard to say actual words? He had planned on broaching the topic with Kyungsoo at the party but he’d had no luck in getting Kyungsoo alone.

“Well, I hope it goes well.” Sehun gives Jongin a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Jongin nods his head once again and manages to mutter a “thanks.” Yes, actual words, great job. They stand in an awkward silence for what feels like an eternity, sneaking glances at each other before looking away whenever they make eye contact. Jongin clears his throat loudly, catching the attention of Sehun. “So, I’m going to…” Jongin clicks his tongue and points to the door and Sehun nods his head in understanding.

As he turns to leave, Jongin feels a set of fingers curl around his wrist.

“Jongin!” Sehun calls out his name and pulls him into a hug. “Just wait a second,” he whispers softly into Jongin’s ear.

Jongin can feel the warmth of Sehun’s breath and it tickles the nape of his neck. He takes a deep breath and catches a whiff of Sehun’s scent—it’s a sweet fragrance, which Jongin never would’ve predicted. Musk would’ve been his guess, or maybe cedarwood? He inhales again, detecting notes of vanilla and a hint of cocoa? It’s extremely pleasant. After a few moments embroiled in a tight embrace, Jongin pulls back slightly and expects Sehun to do the same. The opposite happens and Jongin can feel Sehun tightening his hold, squeezing him even harder.

A full minute passes before Sehun finally releases his grip. Jongin is about to question Sehun’s sudden and perplexing actions when he catches the flustered expression on Sehun’s face. Sehun eyes move to behind Jongin for a brief moment before making eye contact once more. Sehun’s about to say something when he’s interrupted by a voice Jongin’s never heard before.

“Sehun!”

It doesn’t take long for the owner of the voice to appear. Jongin concludes he must be one of Sehun’s friends.

“Junmyeon hyung is throwing up outside so he needs you to drive him home,” Sehun’s friend tells him, already pulling him away from Jongin.

“Wait, I’m in the middle of talking to Jongin…”

“Sehunnie! Where are you? Someone threw up everywhere, it’s gross! You should come see!”

“That was you, Junmyeon hyung!”

Sehun sighs and there’s a look on his face, as though he’s apologizing for his friends interrupting them. “Sorry, but I gotta make sure he’s alright.”

“Get home safely,” Jongin offers, observing Junmyeon’s drunken state. Sehun’s a good friend, Jongin laments. If it were and he and Chanyeol, Jongin would probably book an Uber and let the driver deal with his best friend.

“Thanks,” Sehun says with a smile before he makes his way to an extremely inebriated man, who’s clearly seen better days.

After Sehun leaves, Jongin finds himself alone. Chanyeol’s disappeared somewhere and isn’t picking up his phone or responding to his text messages. Jongin decides to down a few shots of tequila before searching for his crush.

After touring the house several times, he finally spots Kyungsoo. With liquid courage running through his system, he thinks he’s able to confess his feelings. In person. Face to face. Except… Kyungsoo’s face is currently attached to another face. A face that doesn’t belong to Jongin. Kyungsoo is kissing Baekhyun. Baekhyun is kissing Kyungsoo.

Jongin can feel the air being crushed out of his lungs. Wanting to get drunk, but not on the fruit punch that was being served—the drink _Kyungsoo_ had mixed—Jongin stumbles into the kitchen and opens the fridge, finding just a couple cans of beers. With a desire to get piss drunk with copious amounts of alcohol, two cans of beer would hardly get the job done. Without a care that he’s a guest in someone else’s home, Jongin rummages through the cupboards to look for any other alcohol—spirits, wine, anything that’ll do the trick. Finding an almost full bottle of wine, he grabs it and hightails it upstairs. He ignores the _’Do Not Enter’_ sign tacked onto the door of what appears to be Baekhyun’s bedroom and enters the room.

Not bothering to switch on the lights, he stumbles over to Baekhyun’s bed. Falling onto the mattress, Jongin curls up into a fetal position and cradles the bottle of wine in his arms. “I should’ve seen it coming,” he says out loud to himself. “I’m so stupid for not seeing it earlier.” He rolls over onto his back, and just stares at the ceiling in silence.

“It’s in your room, right? Wait here, I’ll go get it for you.”

Shit. It’s the sound of Kyungsoo’s voice. Jongin quickly slides off the bed, wine bottle in hand, and crawls on his hands and knees towards Baekhyun’s walk in closet. Shrouded in complete darkness, it’s not surprising he makes several collisions with the furniture en route—it’s not like he’s familiar with the layout of the bedroom. Jongin tries not to dwell on whether or not Kyungsoo would be able to navigate around the room with ease despite it being too dark to see anything.

Reaching the door to the closet, Jongin turns the doorknob and dives into small enclosed space, pulling the door shut with barely a second to spare before he hears Kyungsoo entering. Jongin can see the lights flicker on through the thin gap under the door. He hears Kyungsoo rifling through something in one of Baekhyun’s drawers. Holding his breath for fear Kyungsoo hears him, Jongin pulls several garments from off their hangers to pile on top of himself in case Kyungsoo were to look inside the closet.

“Oh! You scared me, Baekkie!” Jongin hears Kyungsoo exclaim in surprise.

 _Baekkie._ Jongin tries not to hurl at the affectionate use of the nickname.

“Why don’t we stay here for a bit?” Baekhyun asks. There’s a playful lilt to his voice and Jongin feels a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“What about your guests?”

“They can entertain themselves. It’s a party. I’m sure they won’t even notice if we’re not around.”

No, no, no. This can’t be happening. Jongin does not want to overhear his crush hooking up with another man. Jongin sticks his fingers in his ears, rocking back and forth until he sees the thin strip of light disappear from under the door. He removes his fingers and wipes them on one of the sleeves of what feels to be one of Baekhyun’s hoodies. Jongin hopes it’s the Supreme hoodie that he always sees the other in.

Wanting to wait a few minutes, just to make sure the coast is well and truly clear before making his exit, Jongin is careful not to make any loud noises. He pulls out his phone and ensures it’s on silent mode. He sends a text to Chanyeol, informing his best friend of his whereabouts and asking him to come collect him. As his waits for Chanyeol to arrive, Jongin twists off the cap to the wine bottle and takes a swig.

Not detecting the weird odor until it’s too late, Jongin immediately spits the fluid out, spraying the inside of Baekhyun’s closet with a mist of alcohol. Jongin’s not sure what kind of wine it is, but it tastes foul, and must be without a doubt the worst thing that’s ever been in his mouth. It doesn’t even taste like alcohol, it was that face-scrunching sour. The wine must have been opened for a while—years even—and has more than likely gone off. Feeling himself sobering up slightly, Jongin braces himself as he chugs the rest of the contents of the bottle whilst pinching his nose to help him tolerate the taste of the expired wine. He flails for a few moments, wagging his tongue as he tries to get rid of the tangy aftertaste and sets the empty bottle aside.

What the hell is taking Chanyeol so long? Jongin checks the time, calculating it’s been at least five minutes since sending the text. Too tired to move, Jongin decides to get comfortable instead. He pulls several more sweaters from the rail and constructs a makeshift pillow with the articles of clothing and closes his eyes. “I’ll leave in like fifteen minutes,” he tells himself. “Fuck Chanyeol. I don’t need him. Or Kyungsoo. I don’t need any of them.”

 

~ ❤ * ✉ * ❤ ~

 

“Why does it smell weird in here?”

“It’s about fucking time, what took you so long?” Jongin opens his eyes and he blinks several times to make sure he’s not hallucinating. It’s not Chanyeol who’s crouched in front of him. “Sehun? What are you doing here?”

Sehun’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “You texted me that you were hiding out in Baekhyun’s closet. Well, that’s the only part I could make out, anyway. The rest of the text didn’t make any sense.”

“Shit! Not again.” Jongin sits up, rubbing his eyes. He pulls one of the sweaters from his cushion pile and wipes his face with it. He tosses it back into the pile once he’s done.

They hear footsteps approaching, accompanied by a, “Why is my bedroom light on?” Crap on a stick—it’s Baekhyun. Reacting on impulse, Jongin pulls Sehun inside of the closet and closes the door behind them.

“What the hell?”

“Ssssh!” Jongin hisses, covering Sehun’s mouth with his hands. Jongin’s not sure who’s on top of whom, their limbs are entangled in a huge mess anyway. When the lights are switched off and he hears the sound of the door closing, Jongin releases his clasp over Sehun’s face and peels himself off of the other.

“No, seriously. Why does it smell so funky in here?” Sehun retrieves his phone from his pocket and turns on a flashlight app. Picking up the rancid glass bottle, Sehun reads the label. “It’s balsamic vinegar! Why would Baekhyun have an empty bottle of vinegar in his closet?”

“Shit! I thought it was wine that had gone off!”

“Wait, what?”

“I thought it was wine! Oh, my God! I actually drank a bottle of vinegar!”

Sehun bursts out in a fit of giggles.

“Why are you laughing at me?” Jongin goes to strike the other in the arm but miscalculates how far away the other is from him and ends up falling into his lap. Still drained of energy, Jongin doesn’t make any attempt to move from his position.

“I would never laugh at you,” Sehun says softly, despite the fact that clearly he just did not two seconds ago. Jongin lets it go on account of how comfortable Sehun is as a pillow. He’s much better than Baekhyun’s Supreme closet.

Jongin feels a set of fingers raking through his hair. It’s nice. “You should,” he says, so quietly, he doesn’t know if Sehun can even hear him. “I deserve it. The way I acted after sending you that text by mistake and then avoiding you. And finding out Kyungsoo and Baekhyun are dating. Or hooking up. And then drinking a bottle of fucking vinegar. I guess it’s karma.”

“Ah, so you found out?” Sehun asks.

“You knew? Well, I can’t say that I blame you for not telling me,” Jongin says, burrowing his face into Sehun’s thigh.

“Remember when I hugged you earlier tonight? It's because I saw them kissing. That's when I found out. You must think I’m stupid, but I just didn’t want to see you getting crushed like that.”

“Crushed by my crush. How fitting.” Jongin laughs bitterly.

“Jongin,” Sehun says his name, and Jongin feels a tingle shooting down his spine. “You’ll be okay.”

“Why are you so nice to me?” Jongin asks Sehun, genuinely wanting to know the reason. He’d rejected him after all, and here he was, comforting Jongin in a dark closet at a party.

“Why wouldn’t I be? There’s a reason why I… otherwise I wouldn’t… you know.” Sehun laughs and it sounds strained.

Unable to discern the expression on Sehun’s face, Jongin can’t be too sure if the other’s laughter had been genuine or not. Despite the darkness, Jongin closes his eyes and tries to visualize Sehun’s face from memory. A few distinct features come to mind—perfectly shaped brows and a sharp jawline. He looks nothing like Kyungsoo but he isn’t any less handsome. Perhaps he’s even more so? Sehun’s face is more striking and eye-catching and Jongin finds himself recalling Sehun’s broad shoulders, his narrow waist, his tall stature—the complete opposite of his “ideal” man. And yet… there’s an undeniable attractive quality about Sehun.

Jongin feels his hand slowly reaching out to cup Sehun’s face.

“Anyway, are you ready to leave now?” Sehun’s sudden question startles Jongin, who withdraws his hand with haste. Nodding his head instead, Jongin’s cheek brushes against Sehun’s thigh.

“Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

 

~ ❤ * ✉ * ❤ ~

 

They’ve been parked outside Jongin’s house for the past ten minutes, neither saying a word. Jongin’s not sure why they’re sitting in silence, nor does he know why he hasn’t made a move to leave the vehicle yet.

Jongin sneaks a glance at Sehun who looks deep in thought, brows furrowed and lips pursed.

“Do you want to… come in?” Jongin asks. He doesn’t know what he’s propositioning, exactly; he’s feeling a plethora of mixed feelings after everything that’s happened. What exactly does he want with Sehun? Platonic or romantic, he hasn’t the foggiest. There’s just a quiet voice, whispering in the back of his mind, telling him that he doesn’t want to part ways just yet. Jongin bites his bottom lip as he looks at the other, his heart thumping erratically in his chest.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Sehun says, shaking his head. “I don’t want to be a rebound guy, sorry.”

Why is Sehun apologizing? If anyone should be apologizing, it’s Jongin. He’s sorry for sending the text to the wrong person. He’s sorry for the way he behaved with Kyungsoo in front of him. He’s sorry for texting the wrong person _again_ and subsequently being rescued from Baekhyun’s closet by someone he’s just hurt. He’s sorry that he had to be driven home. And most of all, he’s sorry he doesn’t return Sehun’s feelings.

Jongin reaches out for Sehun’s hand and gives it a firm squeeze. He breathes a sigh of relief when Sehun doesn’t recoil. “Thanks,” he says softly.

“For what?”

“For everything. For being you?” Jongin makes eye contact with Sehun and immediately looks away. He can feel a hot blush flushing over his cheeks. Why is he feeling so self conscious in front of Sehun all of a sudden? “I guess I should get going now,” he announces after clearing his throat several times.

“Take care, Jongin,” Sehun says with a nod of his head.

Jongin shoots him a smile as his hands curl around the door handle. “Thanks, and I hope you get home safe.” He opens the door and slides out of the car. Just as he’s about to slam the door shut, he freezes. Ducking down, he’s met with a confused expression and Jongin tries to bite back a smile. “Just a quick question. I was wondering, what cologne do you use?”

“Cologne? I don’t use any. Why do you ask?” Sehun asks with a tilt of his head.

“Oh, I… You smell nice.”

“Thanks?”

“I guess I’ll see you around?”

Sehun smiles and nods before turning the key in the ignition. Jongin waves goodbye as Sehun pulls out of his driveway and doesn’t move until the car turns the corner and is no longer in sight.

An unexpected but familiar feeling returns and it blind sides Jongin. It’s the same heart pangs Jongin had felt when he saw Kyungsoo kissing Baekhyun, but the last thing on his mind before he falls asleep isn’t his crush or his crush’s boyfriend.

It’s Sehun.

 

~ ❤ * ✉ * ❤ ~

 

“Don’t look behind you but Kyungsoo’s just walked in. With Baekhyun,” Chanyeol informs Jongin in a hushed tone.

Jongin instinctively turns his head and catches the couple hand in hand. Kyungsoo has never smiled so brightly, and although it’s not directed at him, Jongin is genuinely happy for Kyungsoo. And not in the ‘I’m happy if you’re happy because your happiness means more than my own’ kind of way.

“I’m over it,” Jongin says, tearing his gaze away from the loved up couple and turns his attention back to Chanyeol.

“Oh? When did this happen?” Chanyeol asks, twirling his fork into Jongin’s spaghetti before sticking it into his mouth, getting marinara sauce all over his face.

Jongin shakes his head and throws a napkin at his best friend. “I’m not going to pine after someone who has a boyfriend. I’m not about that.”

“Thank, God! Finally. Anyway, whatever happened to that guy at the party? Jongdae’s friend.” Chanyeol asks. “Jongdae told me that he has a massive crush on you—you didn’t hear that from me, by the way—and was bummed out when he had to leave the party to take Junmyeon home. But then we bumped into him a little while later and he said he came back for you? So did you guys… yanno?” He wriggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Nothing happened. We just… talked. ” Jongin says, smiling. Since Baekhyun’s party two weeks ago, he’s hung out with Sehun a few times, slowly getting to know each other. Jongin really enjoys Sehun’s company, like _really_.

“Talking is overrated. No wonder you’re still single,” Chanyeol says with a snort.

“Shut up! Sehun isn’t just some guy you hook up with for a one night stand. He’s the guy you da—” Jongin covers his mouth before he finishes his sentence.

Was he just about to say that Sehun is the kind of guy you _date_? It suddenly all makes sense. The past two weeks have been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster, but now Jongin understands perfectly. Sehun is the guy you _date_. It’s not a question, it’s a statement. Strike that, it’s a _fact_. Sehun is the guy that _Jongin_ wants to date.

Jongin’s about to reveal this epiphany when a new voice appears, snapping him out of his reverie. “Hey, Jongin. Chenyeol.”

Jongin turns his head so fast, he thinks he’s pulled every muscle in his neck. “Sehun, hey!” he greets, trying to ignore the sound of his best friend choking on his milkshake. Although Jongin finds it all too amusing that Sehun thinks Chanyeol’s name is ‘Ch _e_ yeol’ and can’t wait to tease his best friend by referring to him exclusively as ‘Chenyeol’ from this day forward, Jongin’s a little more preoccupied with other matters at the moment.

“You should come join us!” Jongin invites, pulling out a chair for the other.

Sehun glances at Chanyeol and then looks back at Jongin. “You guys are already eating, I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

Jongin shakes his head with fervor. “Don’t be silly! You’re more than welcome. In fact, Chanyeol just said he had somewhere to be. Didn’t you, Chanyeol?” Jongin gives his best friend a swift kick in the shin for good measure.

Chanyeol yelps. “Er, yeah. I heard there’s a new tampon machine in the girl’s bathroom and I’m not exactly sure what a tampon is, but I guess now’s as good a time as any to find out. Be right back!” He slides out of the booth, almost tripping over his feet as stands up.

“So… Are you hungry? Of course, you’re hungry. I mean, why else would you be here? Can I get you anything? How about a drink?” Jongin’s so nervous, he can’t contain his babbling.

“As long as it’s not…” Sehun points to the bottle of balsamic vinegar in the condiments basket on the side of the table.

Jongin cringes at the memory. “Oh, my God. Please don’t remind me.”

Sehun laughs softly. “I think whenever I see a bottle a vinegar, it’ll always remind me of you.”

“I’m honored that you think of me…” Jongin takes a deep breath before continuing. There’s only one reason why seeing Kyungsoo and Baekhyun together didn’t stir any feelings of hurt or jealousy. It’s all because of the man sitting opposite Jongin, and he’s not going to let the opportunity slip between his fingers. He just hopes it’s not already too late. “…because I’ve been thinking about you. A lot. And I was wondering if we could like go out sometime? Like, on a date?” he asks his twiddling thumbs, too shy to look Sehun in the eye. He’s not sure if he even managed to say the last word out loud or if it was loud enough for the other to hear.

“Well, you’ve got my number. Maybe you’ll send a text that’s actually meant for me this time?” Sehun remarks. He chuckles and Jongin can feel his heart racing.

Jongin fishes his phone out of his pocket and composes a text right then and there.

_To Sehun: can I take you out on a date sometime? From Jongin_

He hears the sound of a phone pinging, alerting the other that he’s received a notification. Sehun retrieves his phone and Jongin holds his breath as the other reads his message. Jongin’s own phone vibrates mere seconds later.

_New phone, who dis?_

Jongin has never been so offended by four measly words. He’s about to scoff and retract his offer when he looks up to meet Sehun’s eyes. “Sure, I’d love to,” Sehun says, and those might just have become Jongin’s favorite four words.

 

~ ❤ * ✉ * ❤ ~

 

It takes four months and twelve days for Jongin to discover the best four words in existence—“I love you, Jongin.”

“Say it again, please,” Jongin whispers into Sehun’s mouth as he kisses his boyfriend’s perfect lips.

“I love you, Jongin.”

“I love you, too.”


End file.
